We love our pets; they are our dearest and most cherished friends and companions. Dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, horses, hamsters, rabbits, just to name a few, are all sensitive to the kinds of energy we unknowingly or unwittingly send out. These are beloved members of our family; we shelter them and keep them safe from harm. And when they are sick or need emergency medical care, we take them to the vet to help them get well and back home soon. We give them and in turn they give us, unconditional love. So why is an animal’s emotional mental health and wellbeing so often overlooked or taken for granted, or that it is somehow equated with something physically related?
Like all living being, our animal companions are just as vulnerable to stress, fear and anxiety in the environment as we are. Animals are highly intuitive. They pick up on subtle energy shifts in the household more easily than you might think. If there is a constant climate of anger or fear in the household, animals will sense it. And anyone who has owned an animal knows how loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms can cause panic attacks and terror. This is also true for yelling and threatening actions like sudden fast movements and unpredictably running toward them. They don’t know what is happening and they will run for their lives. This is why it is so hard to catch an animal that has gotten loose and escaped from the house and become lost. Strays live in mortal fear and they don’t trust anyone or anything. They don’t know the difference between help and threat, so they keep running.
As a Bach Flower practitioner, I know that fear of known or unknown things, is the basis of most emotional problems associated with demonstrations of abnormal behavior and aggression. This is especially true of dogs and cats that have been rescued from shelters; and particularly true of Greyhound rescues. They will snap, growl or bare their teeth when they feel threatened. This is a learned behavior that stems from living in an abusive situation. Cats will hiss, scratch or not allow you to touch them until they feel they are finally safe, are able to trust and are no longer living in a state of constant threat.
My late husband and I worked tirelessly with animal rescue organizations in Brooklyn NY for many years and we eventually ended up with 23 cats and three dogs. I will not go into the horror stories. But this sobering experience helped me understand the trauma these animals face at the hands of unfeeling individuals and that they are not unsalvageable. And the Bach Flower remedies saved many little innocent lives from being returned to shelters to be put down.
If you, a family member or someone you know is dealing with an emotional problem they believe their pet is living with, I am happy to talk with you. We want to help them, but there are times when we just don’t understand what the problem is or know how or what to do about it. I’m here to answer your questions, help you understand what may be causing the problem and how to help make life better and easier for you and the four-legged ones you love and care for. Please visit me for a free 15-minute consultation. I’m here to help.